


If Hearts Could Heal

by McLeodCorner



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Babies, Crobby - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, Domestic, Established Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Fluff, Hellhounds, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-11-28
Packaged: 2018-02-04 05:11:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1766746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McLeodCorner/pseuds/McLeodCorner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crowley has a little surprise for Bobby that he picked up from a crossroads deal collection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Robert? You home?"

"Yeah." Came the gruff reply from the hunter’s study. Bobby walked over into the kitchen, stopping when he saw the demon. "Whatcha got there, Crowley?"

The shorter man shuffled on his feet a moment before straightening back out. "Well, today I was doing some collecting of souls. Pretty run of the mill, nothing unusual until I got to the last one." He paused, seeming to try and read the hunter’s face. "It was a couple who had both sold their souls a while back. They both had terminal cancer and sold their souls for each other's well being, knowing the consequences. I sent Juliet to collect and once I showed up to pick up the pieces, there was a little surprise waiting in the other room."

Bobby looked down at the bundle in Crowley’s hands, noticing for the first time that it was moving. He saw a small hand poke out of the blanket. The hunter took a step backwards, eyes growing huge.

"Why'd ya bring it here?"

"I couldn't exactly just leave it there." Crowley noticed the step backwards but decided to press on anyways. "I thought maybe _we_ could-"

"No!" Bobby cut him off, taking another few steps back. "No way. Give it to someone else."

" _Her_." Crowley corrected quietly, as Bobby was already hurrying down the basement stairs. He sighed and shifted the baby in his arms so she was at eye level. "He'll come around, don't worry your pretty little head."

\----------

Bobby sat on the bed that was in the center of the devils trap in the panic room. He always went here to get away from Crowley if he was being too obnoxious. At the moment his head was in his hands, brow furrowed in thought. _Crowley better be gettin' rid of that baby. I don't want nothin’ to do with it._ A loud cough erupted from in front of him, tearing him from his thoughts. Looking up he saw Crowley standing in the doorway, a dejected look on his face.

"Can we talk about this like civilized folk?"

"No."

"Robert." Crowley was now glaring at him, hands on his hips. The hunter sighed and stood up, slowly making his way to the door. Staring at the ground, he picked at his fingernails for a few minutes before Crowley cupped his face and forced the hunter to look at him. "What are you so afraid of?"

Bobby stared for a moment, debating whether or not to lie. "What if I become my father? I don't wanna risk that, Crowley. Hell, that’s the reason Karen and I never had kids! I just...I just can’t!” He pulled away from the shorter man, breaths short and blinking wildly. Crowley recognized the signs of a panic attack and moved forward, pulling him into a hug. He ran a hand up and down his lover’s back.

Once Bobby calmed down he spoke up softly, "You practically raised those Winchesters from day one and proved time and time again that you were a far better father than John. The only one that thinks you would be a bad father is _you_ , you old fool. We won't be alone in raising her either. We have Sam and his angel, Dean and his. Plus, Jody would kill the both of us if any harm came to the little tyke." Crowley gave a small smile, stroking the hunter's cheek with his thumb. Bobby put his arms around Crowley, pressing a kiss to his lips.

“So where’d ya stash the little tyke?” He mimicked in Crowley’s accent.

The demon smirked before starting to head up the stairs, pulling Bobby along by his hand. “Upstairs on the bed, wrapped up in some blankets, guarded by Juliet.”

“You left her upstair by herself?!” The hunter let go of Crowley’s hand, sprinting up the stairs two at a time. He threw open the door to their bedroom, looking over at the bed. The baby was curled up in the center, a dip in the bed around her in the shape of a hellhound lying down. When the door was thrown open a low growl erupted from the indent, but cut off quickly as she realized it was Bobby.

“I told you she was fine.” Crowley said as he waltzed in behind him, closing the door quietly. He walked over and sat down on the bed while petting Juliet. Bobby sat down next to him, both looking at the small sleeping human before them.

“I was thinking we could go and get baby stuff tomorrow, like normal people do. How’s that sound, darling?” Crowley purred, reaching a hand over and intertwining his fingers with Bobby’s.

  
“Sounds perfect.”


	2. Chapter 2

"How the hell am I supposed to know what diapers are better than others?" Bobby growled.

"I don't know, just grab one and let's go look at cribs!" Crowley replied, cradling the baby in his arms, his voice perking up at the thought of cribs. A tiny hand was clinging to the front of his shirt while the other was holding a rattle she snatched off a shelf earlier. His hand was holding her up by her rear and the other was flipping through a parenting magazine, looking at select cribs and bedding.

They had left early in the morning, taking Bobby's truck despite the demon's protests. When they walked into the store they were given a few weird looks which Crowley dismissed immediately and reassured the hunter that everything was fine. Bobby pushed the cart, which was filling rapidly, while Crowley walked with the baby. At least three months worth of clothing was piled at the bottom along with some shoes and undergarments. As they walked the aisles Crowley threw in anything the little girl cood at; rattles, stuffed animals, pacifiers and a little red backpack.

"I'm calling Jody." Said Bobby, pulling out his phone. There were just so many to choose from with a bunch of random ass numbers on them that didn't make a lick of sense, he didn't want to get the wrong ones and end up giving the baby a rash.

"Alright." Crowley muttered, his attention on bopping the girl's nose. The two of them couldn't decide on a name last night. Karen, Jessica, Jo, Lisa, and Ellen were out. Too emotional. Crowley didn't really want any angelic names. So it really narrowed down the list. Maybe the Winchesters would have some ideas- that weren't rock stars from the eighties. Oh well, at the moment it didn't really matter yet, so they just called her, the baby or her. Crowley sat down on the floor, waiting for Singer to get off the phone and just bloody pick one already so they can move on and look at furniture. He was thinking of painting the walls lavender with an oak crib and wardrobe, and maybe one or two chests for her toys. A smile crept on his face. He was getting way too excited. Over _furniture_. He shook his head and focused back on her. A tiny hand was wrapped around his finger. Curious chocolate brown eyes looking around and taking every sight and sound in. Short brown hair, more like peach fuzz, really, was sticking up in all directions known to man. Judging by her size he would say she was about seven or eight months old at the most. A hand reached up and ran through his beard, a small giggle sounded from below him. Just as he was about to tickle her sides Bobby walked back over with a box of Huggies in his hands.

“Jody says this is what she bought for her son, so if it's good enough for her it's what we get.”

Crowley stood up while carefully cradling the child. “Glad that’s settled. Now, can we go look at some furniture, Robert?” He inquired, raising his eyebrows.

“Why are you so obsessed with furniture?”

“You weren’t complaining when I got us that new bed last month.” He winked, walking towards the furniture.

“Shut up ya idjit.” Bobby blushed as he followed the demon.

\-----------

Once they were done with checkout they had an additional two carts filled with furniture boxes and a solid dark oak wardrobe shipping out within the week. The cashier gave them a sincere smile when they approached the register, and rang up their cart quickly, helping them work out the shipping paperwork. Crowley didn’t like the idea of a random store having access to their location being the paranoid bastard that he was, but Bobby managed to convince him otherwise.

On the way out to the car the hunter took out the car seat and situated it in the back, making sure it was secure before placing her in it. Cowley piled everything into the trunk before joining the child on the back seat. He handed her a purple unicorn plush he grabbed from one of the bags. They both smiled when she took it and rubbed the plushie against her face, giggling. Satisfied, Crowley jumped into the front seat.

“This was a great idea, Singer.”

Bobby just scoffed and pulled out of the parking lot. He looked in the rear view mirror at the smiling child, grinning himself. _Yeah, it was a good idea._

\-------------

“Crowley, the screw doesn’t go there!”

“Yes it does, Singer!”

“I’m tellin ya it doesn’t!”

"Then you do it!" Crowley shoved the screwdriver in the hunter’s hand.

As soon as they arrived home, Crowley and Bobby starting putting together the furniture.  They managed to shove the base of the crib together before getting stuck on the directions. Bobby wouldn't allow him to use his powers to just put the furniture together. He didn't want the baby to be exposed to 'demonic essences'. Bloody moron. She was going to find out sooner or later anyways, might as well as start early. But he respected the hunter’s wishes and didn't use them.

Instead he picked up the baby- who was playing with some toys on the floor- and walked downstairs, leaving Robert to fend with the furniture. Once downstairs he grabbed a jar of baby food from the fridge and sat in one of the chairs, pulling her in his lap.

"Open up." He sung, guiding the spoon towards her mouth. She opened it eagerly, humming happily at the taste of peaches. A loud crash sounded from upstairs followed by a muffled 'damnit!'. Crowley smirked and put another mouthful of puréed fruit in her view.

After she took a bite the telephone started ringing. Crowley wrapped her around his hip and walked to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Crowley, it's Dean. We just finished the case and we're on our way up to meet the baby! We'll be there in an hour with some burgers for dinner.  We got her a kids meal, too."

"Dean."

"What?"

"She's seven months old. She doesn't eat solid food!"

"Oh. Well, just be ready when we get there, okay?"

Crowley scoffed and hung up the phone.

"Robert, Sam and Dean are on their way!" He yelled up the stairs, waiting for a grunt that confirmed the hunter heard the message. A putrid smell drifted into his nose and he looked down at the baby in his arms. "Someone needs a diaper change." The baby looked back at him for a moment before pressing her face into his side. He wrinkled his nose and walked towards the bathroom, grabbing a diaper and baby wipes on the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will have Destiel and Sabriel. I promise!


	3. Chapter 3

"We're here!" Dean yelled while he walked into the house. He set three greasy brown paper bags on the kitchen table. "Where's the baby?" Footsteps came from upstairs and he heard them start to head down the stairs. While he ran to the living room Sam, Gabriel, and Cas were still unloading their duffel bags from the Impala.

"Dean!" Sam called from outside. "Come get the door!"

"Allow me, Sammy." Gabe replied, teleporting in front of Sam and holding the door open. The hunter smirked and slid in, tossing their bags in the floor next to the door.

Crowley reached the bottom step just as Sam dropped their bags.

"Don't put them there, Moose! Move then upstairs, that's a tripping hazard!"

"I will move them Sam." Cas interrupted, snapping his fingers so the bags were in the guest room.

"Thank you Castiel." Crowley said. Their conversation was interrupted by cooing coming from the living room. Bobby and Dean were sitting on the couch with the baby giggling in Dean’s arms. He was poking her nose and tickling her sides, smiling as she squirmed. Sam and Crowley were dishing out the burgers and fries in the kitchen while Gabriel ran into the living room and stole the baby from Dean’s arms. Bobby looked like he was about to have a heart attack when the angel started tossing her into the air.

“Dinner is ready!” Sam called out. The men all moved to the kitchen table and sat down, Crowley sat with the baby curled up in his lap. Instead of eating he focused on getting the baby to drink some milk since she ate a few hours ago already. She kept moving her face away from the sippy cup and refusing to drink. Crowley scowled and took a sip himself, hoping she would do it if he did and what do you know, monkey see monkey do, then next time he put it near her face she took a sip. Sam and Dean were trying to conceal their laughter after seeing the King of Hell drink out of a sippy cup. Bobby elbowed Dean and Sam laughed even harder so he kicked him under the table, shutting them both up. Cas was confused about why the boys were laughing so he turned his attention to his hamburger.

“So,” Gabriel began, “What’d ya name the little bundle of joy?”

“We haven’t decided yet.” Bobby replied before eating a few french fries.

The  archangel conjured up a sucker and stuck it in his mouth. “How about Armageddon?”

“No.” All five retorted simultaneously

“Fine, geez, just a suggestion.”

“What about Joan?” Dean suggested.

“They aren’t going to name her after Joan Jett, Dean.” Sam scoffed.

“Well what’s your suggestion, huh Sam?”

“How about Vex?”

“Vex?” Dean repeated, skeptical.

“Vex,” Cas interjected. “The name usually implies a restless, adventurous and organized nature. Usually does well in jobs involving sales and promotions. Very high self confidence and always seeks new challenges.”  

“Geez little bro. Do you have every name’s meaning down like that?” Gabriel asked, surprised.

“Yes.” Came the simple reply.

Crowley played with the name in his head, rolling it around. He liked the description but knew that those didn’t describe every variable in a person’s life. He was imagining himself raising a little Vex and the more he thought about it the better he liked it.

“Vex.” He said aloud, rolling it around. Once the baby looked up at him, he knew it was going to be her name. “Vex.” He repeated, poking her stomach. She grabbed his hand and started sucking on his thumb, smiling. "I like the name. What about you Robert?"

Bobby thought about and looked across the table at the duo. Crowley looked kind of endearing while the little girl gnawed on his finger, not that he would ever admit it aloud. He played with the name in his head a little before coming to a decision.

"Alright. I like it."

Crowley grinned looked to Dean and the angels for their approval. Gabriel and Cas were nodding, bit Dean looked like he was in deep thought.

"As long as she kicks ass I'm game."

“Now that that’s settled I have a gift for the baby.” Gabriel snapped his fingers and Vex was changed into a hot pink onesie with a lollipop design covering it. She rubbed her face against it and hummed softly. “I even changed her diaper for you.” He said while winking.

“Thanks Gabriel.” Crowley said sarcastically, lifting Vex up and checking his lap for any wet spots. Dean threw his third burger wrapper into the middle of the table and started munching on fries. Bobby was done and walked over to where Crowley was sitting and picked up Vex. She rubbed her face against his beard and fisted his flannel. He walked into the living room and turned on some cartoons. He sat down on the couch and pulled her onto his lap, lightly rubbing her back. The rest of the group followed suit, Crowley sitting next to Bobby, Gabe next to him and Sam on the armrest of the couch. Cas sat on the armchair and Dean sat on the floor in front of him, letting the angel play with his hair. Everyone was looking at Bobby and Vex with the exception of Cas, who was preoccupied with Elmo on the tv screen.

Crowley leaned and rested his head on Robert’s shoulder. The baby yawned and stretched out her limbs before curling back up in the hunter’s lap. She burrowed her face in his flannel, closing her eyes. Crowley reached over and stroked her side, lightly moving up and down. When he looked away from Vex he noticed Castiel staring at him in his usual constipated look.

“What, feathers?”

“It’s nice seeing you so relaxed, Crowley.”

Crowley stared for a moment trying to decide if Cas was being serious or not. After a moment he decided from the way the angel was staring at him that it was truthful. He smiled and looked down at Dean who had his eyes closed and his head resting in Cas’ lap, fingers still running through his hair. Next he glanced over at Moose and the archangel. Gabriel was trying to get Sam to eat his half dissolved sucker and failing miserably, much to the trickster’s disappointment. Crowley settled back down against Bobby and closed his eyes, thinking about their strange little family of hunters, demons and angels. He dozed off with a small grin on his face and his hand intertwined with Bobby’s.

****  



	4. Chapter 4

A few weeks ago Crowley bought a swinging bench to put on the porch. It had a solid black metal frame, extremely plush cushions, and it even folded out into a hammock. He loved lounging on it after a long day in Hell and usually Bobby would be with him but the burly hunter had to go on a milk run. Now it was just him and Vex. He was lying on his back with an arm propped behind his head and she was dozing face down on his chest, occasionally making little snoring sounds or yawning.  The last rays of sunlight were dripping over the hoods of cars in the salvage yard, not a cloud in sight, a beautiful end to a beautiful day. Crowley sighed and closed his eyes, relaxing on the swing. He used his powers to slightly move the swing back and forth at a steady pace. The king was close to nodding off when he started to hear a loud engine sound echoing in the distance. His eyes flung open, and panic fled his system for a second until he saw the familiar sight of the pickup truck.

Bobby pulled his truck up to the house and turned it off, he grabbed the bag of groceries and slid out, smiling at the sight of his demon. While he walked up the creaky steps of the porch, Crowley turned his head and puckered his lips. Bobby sauntered over and bent over to peck his lover on the lips. When he straightened back out his empty hand rubbed Vex's back and smiled before walking into the house. He set the bags on the counter and starting to unload the groceries. While he was busy with that Crowley stood up carefully and went inside, holding a sleeping Vex up by her rear. He poked through the plastic bags while Robert put them away, pulling out a pacifier and unwrapping it. It was orange with a little yellow duck on the center. He gently nudged into into her mouth and she started to sleepily suck on it before settling back against his chest.

Vex was a pretty quiet baby. Even when she soiled her diaper she didn’t cry, she just made a confused Castiel looking face and stared at either Crowley or Bobby until they did something about it. Crowley was grateful for that because he didn’t know how well he’d be able to put up with a crying baby. Which in retrospect he probably should’ve considered before bringing it home. Oh well. All’s well that ends well. He went into the living room and plopped down on the sofa and waiting for Bobby to finish with the groceries.When the hunter was done putting everything away he sunk on the couch next to his demon.

“Did ya have a nice day with Vex?” He asked while planting a kiss on Crowley’s cheek.

“As a matter of fact I did, love.” He replied, running a hand through the other man’s beard.

“That’s good. She didn’t cry or anythin’?”

“Nope. Just slept all day like a kitten. Only a few diaper changes and a bath needed so far.”

Bobby hummed. He was planning on spending the day at home, but the phones started ringing off the walls and one of Jody’s friends needed some help with a spirit so he had to leave them. After the spirit’s bones were salted and burned and he was on his way home Crowley texted him to pick up some milk and bread. While he was walking down the aisles he saw the little binky and thought Vex would like it so he put it in the cart. Crowley seemed happy enough he grabbed it and Vex didn’t spit it out so that’s a good sign. Speaking of Vex, the baby now had her eyes open and was reaching her little hands out towards Bobby. The demon smiled and shifted her over to the other. Once she was settled a hand reached up and tugged on his beard. Crowley smirked to himself. Looks like he wasn’t the only one who loved that beard.

“Hey Crowley, what’s for dinner?”

“Well,” He began, standing up, “I was thinking a lasagna. The good kind, not the frozen one.”

“Sounds good.” Bobby replied, standing to follow the demon into the kitchen. He put Vex into her high chair and a few stuffed animals on the tray so he could help Crowley cook and she would stay in their view. He started to pull ingredients out of the cabinets and fridge while Crowley started to turn them into something edible. The old hunter grinned when Crowley began humming Heat Of The Moment while cooking.

The lasagna was now cooking in the oven and the hunter and demon were sitting at the table drinking while waiting for it to be done. Vex was still sitting in her chair but instead of playing with her stuffed animal she was staring at the middle of the floor. Bobby was nose deep in a book and wasn’t paying attention but Crowley noticed almost immediately when she stopped playing. He followed her gaze and froze up when he realized she was staring directly at Juliet. She couldn’t see her. Only demons can see them. No, she must just be looking at the ground. Babies do that right? While he was panicking in his head, the hellhound stood up and walked over to the child. The top of her head came three quarters of the way up the chair and she tilted her head up even more so it reached the top. Vex put out her hand and stroked Juliet's head, giggling. Crowley choked on his breath. Bobby looked over at her to see what was funny and his eyes went wide when he saw he hand petting air. The hunter looked from Vex to Crowley, then to the empty spot of air that their child was petting, silently asking what the Hell was happening.

“I have no idea.” Crowley blurted out. “She shouldn’t be able to see Juliet. I may have someone I can ask about this. Give me a second.” He quickly teleported off to one of his most trusted employees, Cecily to ask her about it.

“Cecily, darling, how are you?”

“My King,” She replied, nodding her head in greeting, “I’m good. It’s a pleasure to see you. What do you need?”

“Straight to the point, I like that. I was wondering if children could see hellhounds?”

“Children?”

“Yes, say if there was a child present when I sent a hound to collect, would they be able to see it?”

“Yeah, actually. I remember reading something about kid’s perspective of reality is so open and vast that they can see a lot of things others can’t. Like certain spirits, ghosts, and I would assume hellhounds, too. I’m pretty sure as they get older, they might lose their ability to see them but I’m not too sure so don’t quote me on it.”

 **  
**“Thank you for the information, Cecily. I’ll be seeing you.” He teleported back to Singer’s house and found Vex on the floor in Bobby’s lap, Juliet nuzzling the child’s face playfully. Crowley sat down next to Robert and ran a hand down Juliet’s side. “My sources say that she’ll most likely lose her ‘gift’ as she gets older. Don’t worry about it.” Little did the hunter know that Crowley planned on making sure Vex kept her ‘gift’. Her and Juliet could be friends and she could use the hound to attack her enemies in the future, it’s never too early to plan ahead. The two sat side by side and watched the hound play with Vex until the kitchen timer dinged and they got up to eat dinner before feeding her another jar of pureéd food.


	5. Chapter 5

A month later, Crowley found himself on the swing again, Vex lying next to him snuggling a brown stuffed bear. His arm hung over the side of the swing and was occasionally flicking his fingers to move it. Bobby was in the kitchen frying up some burgers and french fries for lunch. Vex now had three teeth and they actually got her to eat a few french fries the previous night, gaining her approval of the salty food. He smiled at the memory as the smell of food cooking leaked out the open windows and drifted into his nose, making his mouth water. As much as he loved eloquent meals, he also greatly enjoyed the basics, especially when cooked by the hunter. Bobby couldn't make a roast to save his life but he could fry up a hamburger and manage to not burn the house down.

While he reminiscing a hand brushed against his wrist and at first he thought it was the hunter’s but by the time his mind processed the too smooth, uncalloused palm, the foreign hand yanked down on it hard against the edge of the swing, causing the bone to snap and break through his skin. Crowley’s eyes flew open as he cried out in pain. He tried to sit up but a pair of hands held open his mouth and poured a mixture of holy water and salt down his throat. He made inhumane choking noises as he was forced to swallow it and flung himself off the swing, landing heavily on his broken wrist. He curled involuntarily on his side into a wheezing ball of pain on the ground, holding his wrist and trying his best not to throw up. Looking up out of the corner of his eyes he saw Abaddon standing above him holding a very sad and confused looking Vex in her hands, with Cecily standing triumphantly next to her.

“So this is the little munchkin, huh? I can’t wait to get my claws in her.” She bent down so she was almost at Crowley’s eye level. “Tell your boys to meet me at the cemetery tonight at 9, and I want the archangel. Then you can have your little sack of flesh and bones back.” Abaddon stood back up and taunted for a moment before lifting Vex’s hand and waving goodbye with it as she disappeared. Bobby appeared outside almost two seconds later, wielding a shotgun. The hunter tossed it aside when he saw Crowley curled up on the ground. He immediately noticed the mutilated wrist and a now bloody mixture leaking out of the corner of his mouth. Bobby helped him to sit on his knees and rubbed his back while he heaved up the contents of his stomach, the liquid hissing as it made contact with his lips. Once he was done throwing up the hunter cupped the injured man’s face, searching for an answer, lightly brushing his thumb across his cheek.

“Ve-x.” Crowley stuttered out, the small word burning his throat and sending him into a coughing fit which irritated it even more. A few tears rolled down his cheeks from the sharp pain it caused and he started hyperventilating when his swollen throat wouldn’t allow enough air to pass through. Bobby looked around and realized that Vex was nowhere to be seen, a wave of panic rising up in him even more than before but he pushed it down. He needed to keep a clear head and help Crowley so he could tell him just what the Hell happened to him and Vex. He hauled the demon to his feet, slowly guiding him inside. On the way in he grabbed his cell phone off the kitchen counter and texted Dean to ‘Get their asses down here. Vex is missing.’ In the meantime he got Crowley a glass of water and wrapped up his wrist after snapping the bone back in place, despite any protests from the demon of being able to heal it after he got some rest.

“Abaddon has her, Robert.” Crowley said anxiously now that his throat was less inflamed. Him and Bobby held worried eye contact for a few moments in silence before the sound of the Impala tearing down the road erupted from outside. Dean practically kicked the door down when he ran in.

“What happened?”

“Abaddon happened.” Crowley began. “She came and took Vex.”

“Did she say anything about getting her back?” Dean noted the burn marks around the demon’s mouth and his wrapped up hand. “The Hell happened to you?”

“Holy water and salt.” Crowley ran his tongue over his partially charred lips, wincing at the pressure. “Yeah, she said to meet her in the cemetery at 9, and she wants Gabriel for a trade.” All at once the demon’s face fell into his hands and sobbed. “I should have watched her better! I’m a terrible father, this is Gavin all over again. Now Abaddon’s going to kill her and it’s all my fault!” Bobby moved forward after a moment and peeled away Crowley’s hands. The demon’s eyes were red and puffy, guilt ridden and staring at the floor. He lifted his head so they were making eye contact.

“We will get her back Crowley. Got that?” He commanded sternly, the tone is his voice was one the boys had only heard once before, when his wife came back from the dead and they told him he had to kill her before she went rogue, again. Dean shuddered at the memory and brought himself back to the present in time to see Crowley’s determined nod. Cas squinted out the window off the front porch, watching Gabriel scouring over the swing, looking for clues.

“How does she know about Gabriel? Everyone except for the people in this room thinks Lucifer killed him.”

“I don’t know, “ Crowley replied. “He covers his tracks well and hasn’t done anything too trickstery in the past few months that would give anything away. Unless one of you lot let it slip that he was alive..."

"None of us told anyone, Crowley." Sam snapped.

"Well then I have no idea how she knows. But I fully intend to find out as soon as we get Vex back."

“I’ll do it.” A familiar voice erupted from Bobby’s desk. They all looked over to see the archangel sitting on the desk, eating a sucker. “For the little one, of course. Not you guys.” He hopped off the table and walked over to the group. “Where’s this cemetery Crowls?” Crowley cringed at the nickname but got up and walked to the desk to fish out a map of the town.

\-----------------

It was eight thirty so they needed to be leaving now if they wanted to make the deadline. The crew all filed out and crowded into the impala. Bobby, Crowley and Cas all in tha back. Dean driving, Sam riding shotgun and Gabriel squished in between the two in the front.

“Are you sure about this Gabe?” Sam asked. “We don’t know what she’s gonna do. This is probably a trap.”

“I know Sammich, but cmon, I’m an archangel I think I can handle a silly little knight.”

“If you say so...but I still don’t think you should do this.”

“Relax I got a plan Sammy.” Gabriel pulled a pair of handcuffs similar to the demon ones they had but with angel sigils on them and handed them to Sam. “These babies would normally be crippling to me but I took the liberty of smudging the sigils a tad so they’re useless. But Abdouche won’t notice until it’s too late.” He beamed at the 'nice work’ smile Sam flashed at him while he tucked the cuffs in his pocket. He snapped and Crowley and him switched places so he was sitting next to Cas. “I need you to hit me Cassie, make it look good, alright. But try not to permanently damage the face. I like this suit.”

“Why would I hit you?”

“Abaddon won’t actually believe I came here willingly so make it look like I put up a fight. Plus, you're the only one who can do enough damage that it'll look real."

“Smart.” Dean chimed in from the front.

“I know.” Gabriel smirked, tilting his face so Cas could get a good angle in the camped space. Castiel exhaled and launched his fast across Gabe’s face, effectively cutting his cheek and splitting his lip. As he reeled back for another punch Gabe switched back with Crowley. The demon barely had enough time to move before Cas slammed into the window, sending a huge crack along the length of it.

"Hey! Watch the car!" Dean yelled.

“Watch it feathers!” Crowley snapped after regaining his posture.

“Cut it out you guys! We’re here.” Dean hissed as he pulled the car to a stop in the cemetery. Sam cuffed Gabriel and hauled him out of the car while everyone else shuffled out. Everyone was in a line waiting for Abaddon who promptly showed up a few minutes later, cradling Vex and leaning against a grave.

“Hello boys.” She said while calmly running her fingers through Vex’s short hair.

“Still my line.” Crowley growled, his temper rising at the sight of her hands on his child. He paused a moment about how protective he’d gotten over the course of only a few months. He shook those thoughts away quickly and refocused on the situation. “I have your angel, give me Vex.”

Vex started squirming in the knight's arms and reached out towards Crowley. Abaddon reached over and slapped her across the face without warning to get her to stop moving. Bobby almost ran forward to just try and stab her with an angel blade then and there, he wanted to strangle her for laying a hand on his baby girl. They stared in silence at the hurt look on Vex's face before it switched to a death glare worthy of Crowley himself. Dean's eyes grew wide at the sheer hatred in her stare. Then it quickly switched to an innocent look and she reached for Abaddon's hand and started to suck on her index finger. Abaddon smiled and looked down at the child in her arms.

"Looks like your daddies taught you well." She turned her gaze to the men across from her. "This is how it's gonna go, you send the angel in the middle and I'll send the kid your way. Understo-OW!" Abaddon yelped and dropped the kid on instinct as Vex bit down hard on her finger, drawing blood. She landed on her butt in the grass and quickly scrambled over to Crowley, who ran forward and met her halfway. Abaddon recovered from her torn finger and took a few steps forward, curling her hands into fists.

"Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn't do that." Gabriel threatened taking a few steps to the side so he was standing in front of Crowley and Vex.

"What are you gonna do, Feathers? You're tied and tressed."

"This." He retorted, pulling his wrists apart and snapping the chain. He held his hand out and a bright light started to build up from the palm. Her eyes grew wide in fear and she took a few steps backward, realizing as the Winchesters stepped forward that she was outnumbered and outgunned. She fled before they could get any closer to her.

After she was gone they all went over to check on Vex. Her face was buried in Crowley's chest and she was clinging to his jacket with her tiny hands. He had one hand under her rear to hold her up while the other one was rubbing up and down her back. He was pressing kisses to the top of her head and shushing her gently to stop her small sobs.

"Is she alright? She's not hurt is she?" Bobby asked quickly, slurring his words together.

"She's fine Robert, other than the fact that she just bit Abaddon's finger and her teeth might be a little sore, she's fine."

"Okay...good...good." Bobby exhaled, visibly more relaxed as the tension melted off his shoulders.

"I'll meet you lot back at the burrow. Of rather get the blood out of her mouth before there are any permanent after effects courtesy of Abaddon." He walked forward to peck Bobby on the cheek before teleporting off to the house.

Once he was there he set Vex on the counter and grabbed a towel from the cabinet and ran it under the water. He opened her mouth and wiped the blood off her teeth the best he could before giving her a sippy cup of water with a little bit of salt mixed in. The water would rinse it off and the salt would repel the demonic essence. She held her empty hand out and curled it in his jacket. Crowley took the hint and picked her up, heading into the living room to wait for the cavalry to get home. He flicked on the TV and set Vex in his lap. She yawned and curled up against him, pressing her face against his chest.

"Dada."

Crowley's eyes grew wide. "What?"

 **  
**"Dada." She repeated, barely above a whisper before closing her eyes and pressing closer. Crowley grinned and leaned down to kiss the top of her head, nuzzling her short peachfuzz hair a bit too. He leaned back and closed his eyes, cherishing that he got to hear her first word and it was about him. He probably had one of those stupid looking smiles that only parents get when their kids do something really sweet, but he didn't really care. He was a dada now.


	6. Chapter 6

“Crowley?” Bobby called out tentatively as he walked through the creaky door of his house. There was only a small pause before a small grunt sounded from the living room. He quickly walked over and paused at the entryway, leaning on the wall and smiling. Vex was curled up in Crowley’s lap, her hands curled around his wrist, lightly nibbling and sucking on his thumb. She was wrapped up in a small orange blanket with her name stitched in the corner, Jody’s post-baby baby shower gift to them. Vex ended up loving it at first sight and dragged it everywhere; it already had to be washed many, many times. Crowley looked over at him and patted the spot next to him. Bobby smiled and kicked off his shoes before walking over and plopping down, throwing his arms around his lover’s shoulders. Crowley shifted so he was leaning against the hunter with the side of his face buried in the crook of his neck.

 

“What took you so long?” he asked, shifting Vex around in his lap to the hand that wasn’t wrapped in gauze.

 

“The boys wanted to stop and get celebratory pie. I had to argue with ‘em for fifteen minutes about having to get home to check up on you guys.”

 

“Aw, don’t worry Robert. You can have a night out with the boys every once in a while. Besides, I texted you that everything was taken care of.”

 

“Yeah, well forgive me for wantin’ to make sure for myself. Speaking of which, is everything with Vex okay? How’re you both holdin’ up?”

 

“You don’t trust me?” Crowley teased, smiling at the hunter. “Other than her probably needing a bath and a good night’s rest, I’d say she’s fine. Abaddon didn’t have her claws in her for too long to imprint any permanent damage. Despite any pain it may have caused my hands, I even gave her a quick splash of holy water just to make sure nothing demonic was stuck on her. My wrist is pretty much healed and my throat isn’t on fire anymore. Did I pass the inspection, Agent?”

 

Bobby scoffed and poked him in the ribs.

“Barely.” He stood up and grabbed Vex from Crowley’s lap, pecking him on the cheek. She let out a tired groan and peeked up at him before burrowing into his chest and fisting his shirt, closing her eyes again. “I’ll give her a bath, you add more to the warding around the place.”

 

“Alright, holler if you need a hand up there. I’ll be here.” Crowley stood up and stretched, cracking his back and neck before heading to the basement to grab some spray paint and other materials. Bobby smiled and headed upstairs into the bathroom after grabbing some towels from the closet. He sat Vex on the floor while he turned on the tub to a comfortable temperature and put some bubble bath solution in it as well. He turned his attention back to the now fully awake child on the floor and started to take off her onesie and diaper, tossing them to the side and setting her in the tub. She immediately turned her attention to the growing mass of bubbles near the faucet and scooted over to start popping them. Bobby smiled and dug through the cabinet under the sink for her basket of bath toys. He dumped in a few rubber ducks and a couple ships, letting her play for a bit before scrubbing her down. She squeezed one of the ducks and a stream of water came out and hit Bobby in the face. After wiping his face, he glanced at the giggling child before him and splashed her back, causing her to giggle more before returning her attention to the bubbles.

 

Bobby snatched the baby shampoo from the shelf and put a small amount in his hands to start massaging it in her tiny head of hair. She cooed and leaned into the touch, pressing against his hand while still splashing the duck around. After letting it settle for a minute, Bobby tilted her head back and used a cup to pour water over her head to rinse off the suds, blocking the water from going in Vex’s eyes with his hand. She voiced her annoyance of being pulled away from her toys with a grunt, whining when the water touched her head and attempted to lean away from the flow.

 

“Hold up baby girl, I’m almost done,” Bobby said, holding her in place for a few seconds longer. As soon as she was let go, Vex nabbed her duckies and resumed playing while the hunter grabbed a wash cloth and rubbed some soap on it. Quickly enough, the cloth was sudsy and he started to scrub her down. He made sure to get rid of the dirt left on her knees from scrambling on the ground earlier, scowling at the thought of Abaddon still walking around topside. Bobby made quick work of washing her, pulling the plug in the tub and wrapping her up in a fuzzy frog towel-  compete with hood and floppy ears- and setting her on the toilet lid while he tossed her toys under the sink.

 

“Alrighty, one last thing and then we can go back and see daddy.”

 

“Dada!” Vex yelled, practically bouncing on the toilet seat. Bobby froze for a second and stared at her. _“When did she start saying that?”_ He thought excitedly. _”Did I just hear her first word?”_  He bent over to press a kiss to her forehead, running his thumb over her cheek.

 

“Good girl,” he cooed, “but first we gotta brush your teeth, then we can see dada. How’s that sound?”

 

“Dada, dada, dada,” she repeated, obviously pleased with the praise she got. Bobby hauled her up and set her on the counter, pulling out the toddler toothbrush Crowley got as soon as the first tooth starting showing the faintest sign of popping out. It was in the shape of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. Vex took a liking to it at once, most likely because it was orange and as they were finding out, she has a liking to things that are orange: her blanket, the toothbrush, and actual oranges. She would just gnaw on the peels and not even eat the orange, go figure. Just the other day, she had dug through a pile of Bobby’s old hunting outfits from when he actually hunted while he was cleaning out his dresser. She managed to drag out an old neon orange vest, wrapping it around herself like a blanket and rolling around on the floor with it, pouting when he took it away so he could put it back in the drawer.

 

Even the damn toothpaste had an orange stripe in it. Bobby chuckled as he put a tiny amount on the soft bristles and told her to open up, guiding the brush in like an airplane- complete with sounds and all. Vex opened her mouth just long enough to get the toothbrush in but started to bite down on it, making the job very difficult for the hunter. After struggling for a few minutes, he finally finished with his best efforts and helped her rinse her mouth out with a Dixie cup. He tossed the cup in the trash and carried Vex downstairs, setting her on the rug with a few toys while he poked his head in the basement hall, listening for the demon.

 

“Crowley?” He called.

 

“Just a sec, love,” came the reply. A few seconds of things shuffling around, Crowley started heading up the stairs.

 

“New and improved warding is complete,” Crowley reported, walking to the sink to scrub the dried red paint off his hands. Bobby walked up behind him and licked his thumb to scrape at a spot of red on the demon’s chin. Crowley scowled up at him like an embarrassed child for a second before smirking and pecking him on the cheek.

 

“Thank you darling. Now, where’s my all nice and clean little girl?” he asked, waltzing over to the living room. Vex managed to wiggle out of her towel while their backs were turned and was now sitting against the legs of the couch stark naked and chewing on the corner of her blanket.

 

“Dada!”

 

Crowley sped over to her and lifted her up in the air, spinning a little before setting her on his hip.

 

“What are you not wearing?” He teased, poking her belly. She giggled and buried her face in his shoulder. “Let’s get you some clothes and a diaper, love.” He leaned in and nuzzled the top of her head, bending down to grab the towel off the floor. When he looked up he found a sad looking Robert Singer staring at the ground, leaning against the archway. It took him a moment to figure out why the hunter seemed so down. “Don’t worry Singer,” he said, closing the distance between them. “Soon enough she’ll be screaming papa all the time and you’ll be wishing for the days when she didn’t talk at all.” He pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “I promise.” He turned on his heels and went upstairs to their room to get some clothes for Vex.

 

Once up there, Crowley set her on the bed and dug through the dresser for a pajama onesie. When he turned around he saw Juliet sitting on the ground before him, head bowed and tail sitting still on the ground- signs that her search for Abaddon’s trail came up cold.

 

“That’s alright Juliet, papa’s still proud of you. We’ll get her next time.” He scratched behind her ears and plopped down on the bed, lying Vex down on her back so he could put on her diaper and pjs. Afterwards, she crawled into his lap and grabbed his hand, nibbling on his thumb again. He was a little wary after seeing the damage her little teeth did to Abaddon’s finger, but he trusted Vex enough to not try and eat his thumb. There was a small knock on the door a second before it pushed open and Bobby came through, walking straight to the bed and falling down face first. Crowley reached over and pulled him the rest of the way, stripping him down to just his t-shirt and boxers before tucking him under the comforter. He leaned back to rest on his hunter’s chest and making sure Vex was snuggled in between them, slid under the blankets too. Vex could sleep with them tonight. He’d rather not have a Sam Winchester moment where a demon sneaks in and poisons the baby, house on fire, the whole shebang.

“Yeah, no thanks,” he thought as he pulled Vex closer to his chest, wrapping his arms around her tighter.

 

Crowley smiled. He loved falling asleep with the hunter. It was nice. He didn’t do it nearly as often as he wanted but now that he had Vex, it gave him more of a reason to stick around, especially now that Abaddon knew about her. He grimaced at the sound of her name, plotting in his head how to get rid of the knight once and for all. Crowley actually ended up getting so caught up in his thoughts, he jumped when something jumped on the bed and curled up next to him.

 

Juliet scooted in between him and Bobby, nuzzling at Vex’s feet dangling in front of her snout. He held his opposite, still wrapped up hand in his lap and smiled when she shoved her face on his lap, right under his hand, silently begging to be pet. Happily, he obliged. Scratching behind her ears and running between her shoulder blades were her favorite spots, which Crowley always stroked non-stop, even if Juliet was being bad on a certain day. What could he say, he had a soft spot for the lovely pooch. She was one of his first and most loyal hounds. She could muck up a thousand soul collections and he probably wouldn't even punish her, harshly that is. Most likely she’d just get a flick on the nose, maybe a verbal scolding and then he’d give in and cuddle her, let her devour a few human corpses before dinner.

 

Drowsiness starting taking over so he did one last check over Vex and his hunter, making sure they were all situated before closing his own eyes and shifting closer to Bobby, squeezing his two babies in between them. He snapped once more to change into his own pajamas and allowed himself to doze off, still basking in the joy of hearing his child’s first word.

  
  


 


	7. Chapter 7

"Papa." Crowley exhaled loudly and held the picture of Bobby up again, pointing to the hunter. “Papa.” He repeated, giving a hopeful look towards Vex. She stared up at him without blinking and nibbled at the corner of her blanket. Sighing, he set the picture down on the couch cushion and looked down at his daughter. She was lost in her own world, tangling her legs in the blanket and humming little tunes she picked up from the tv in broken segments. Crowley reached over and pulled her onto his lap to untangle the blanket before laying it over her legs. Vex leaned against his chest and grabbed his hand to start opening and closing his fist, occasionally nibbling on his fingerpads. He ran his unoccupied hand through her thick, slowly growing, dark hair and pulled her further on his lap. She abandoned his hand and pushed her face into his chest, nuzzling closer and pulling the blanket up around them, letting her eyes drift shut.

Crowley was so focused on running his fingers through her hair that he jumped a little when the front door creaked open. Quickly he snatched the picture off the sofa and tucked it into his jacket pocket, careful not to disrupt the sleeping child on his lap. He eased back into the couch and tried to act nonchalant as his hunter walked into the living room, covered in grease and oil as usual. Bobby started to make his way over to the duo on the couch but a small disapproving cough stopped him in his tracks.

“Wh- “ He began, but cut off the sentence when he looked down and saw a trail of brown boot tracks leading from the door. “Oh.” Bobby doubled over to unlace his shoes and tossed them to the side before walking over and plopping down on the couch. “Got the truck all fixed up, runs better then ever.”

“That’s nice, love.” Crowley said, leaning over to peck him on the least dirty cheek. “I was thinking we should go to the park or something. See the sights, go for a walk. I’d be good for Vex to get out.”

“I don’t know…” Bobby trailed off, letting his hand roam up and down Crowley’s side.

“Everything will be fine, and if something does happen, we can handle it. She needs to get out of the house.”

“She does get out of the house!”

“The garage doesn’t count and neither does the grocery store.”

The hunter grunted in response.

“Come on. For me?” Crowley drawled, gazing up at the hunter with pleading eyes.

Bobby made a throaty groan and pushed himself off the couch, beginning to head upstairs.  

“Lemme take a shower first.” He said, snatching a towel from the linen closet before stepping into the bathroom.

“Thank you darling!” Crowley called after him, carefully shifting Vex in his arms so he could stand up. Walking over to the hunter’s desk he slid the picture back into the top drawer, covering it with an old tome. No reason for Bobby to know what he was up to just yet.

He gently tickled Vex’s side to wake her up. “Up and at ‘em love, we’re going to the park.”

She let out a small yawn and rubbed at her eyes. Her eyes lit up curiously when he mentioned the word park and he could see the little spark of excitement at something new. “Let’s go get your stroller while Papa’s in the shower.” He paused for a second before moving to see if she would repeat it, exhaling a bit louder than necessary when she didn’t, making a mental note to try again when they had more time alone.

\--------------------------------------------------------

After about twenty minutes of Crowley nagging and dragging the hunter along, they made it to the park. Crowley walked alongside while Bobby pushed the stroller down the paved path weaving through the vast perfectly mowed lawn. Any disapproving glares or murmurs directed towards them from other patrons of the park were quickly stopped by a death stare from the King.

They walked until they had were off by themselves at the corner of the park. Other than a few solitary benches and a grungy barbeque, it was empty. Crowley sat down on one of the benches and patted the spot next to him. Bobby pulled Vex out of the strolled and set her on his lap after sitting down himself. She busied herself with one of the plush dogs they brought along and nibbled on it’s ear.

“You know what I’m going to ask, Singer.”

Bobby sighed while he watched Vex crawl off his lap and plop on the grass with a soft thud. She started rolling around and wrestling with her little dog.

“Then you already know my answer.”

“Robert, it’s not safe.”

“It’s always been safe enough before!”

“That was before Abaddon, before my kingdom started falling apart, before I couldn’t keep Vex and you safe in my own SODDING HOME!” Crowley heaved and stared at the ground, not daring to meet the hunter’s eyes. Instead he focused on the confused expression spread over his daughter’s face. She tugged at his pant leg and Crowley wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or worse that she was attempting to comfort him. Before he could bend over to pick her up, a hand reached over and turned his head so he was face to face with Bobby. The hunter moved so both of his hands engulfed the smaller man’s face, lightly dragging his thumbs across Crowley’s cheeks.

“We’ll amp up the warding on the house even more so nothin’ that we don’t want in gets anywhere close to the house. We’re gonna get rid of Abaddon and get your throne back soon, alright?” Crowley didn’t trust his voice not to crack so he simply nodded, leaning further into those calloused hands, towards the warmth of the tattered flannel the other always wore. He maneuvered on the bench until his side was pressed against Bobby’s and the other’s arms were wrapped around his waist. Closing his eyes for just a second, he relished in Bobby’s warmth; as the air around them started to drop as the last rays of sun started to sink lower behind the horizon. An impatient and slightly annoyed whine erupted from below him, snapping him back to reality. Vex was seated unhappily on the ground, her hand still fisted in his pant leg. Once she saw that his eyes were opened again she stuck out her arms and bounced a little where she sat.

Crowley pulled her up and squeezed her in between the two of them, tucking the excess of his coat around her form to keep her warm. He leaned over so his head rested on Bobby’s shoulder.

“I still don’t see why we can’t just move, even if just for a little bit. Until we get rid of Abaddon.”

“Because.”

“That’s not a valid answer Robert.”

Bobby tilted his head and pressed a kiss to Crowley’s temple. “Because it’s my house. I lived there my whole life and I’m not gonna let some ginger bitch run me out now.”

The hunter seemed dead set in his ways so Crowley let the conversation drop, for now. Looping his arm through Bobby’s, he buried his face in his shoulder.

“I love you. You know that right? No matter how stubborn you are, you old mule.”

“Yeah, I know ya’ idjit. I love you too.”

Crowley leaned up and eskimo kissed his hunter before relaxing back into the bench, contently running his fingers through Vex’s hair. The moment didn’t last long before she started to get restless and tried to climb out of his lap now that the moment of peril was over. He held one of her hands and helped her off  the bench, watching carefully as she pulled herself up onto her two legs; using the bench as leverage. She faltered a little once she got to full height but Crowley’s hands flew out and held her shoulders steady.

“Would you look at that.” Bobby said.

“They grow up so fast. Soon enough she’ll be going off to college.” Crowley said playfully. Sitting up, he grabbed her hands with his fingers and gently led her away from the bench a few steps. “Okay, now head back to Daddy. C’mon.” He gently guided her towards them, holding her hands above her head. “One foot in front of the other.”

She took one step and paused; staring at her foot in wonder as if she couldn’t believe she moved on her own. She took one more shaky step before Crowley loosened his grip and let his hands hover above her. She took one last step before freezing and falling backwards and landing on her bum on the ground. Vex froze and was stuck in that stage of shock that kids get when they don’t know how to react to something. Her mouth was stuck in an ‘O’ shape when she looked up at the concerned faces of her fathers. After pausing for another moment, her face contorted and she burst into tears. Crowley hissed and moved forward to pick her up.

“Uh-uh.” Vex shook her head and reached out her hands towards Bobby instead. “Papa!”

The hunter’s ears perked up at the word. Quickly, he moved to scoop up the crying child, carefully tucking her in his arms and pulling her close to his chest. Bobby had a soft smile spread across his lips while he gently rocked Vex back and forth, using his thumb to rub away her tears. She rubbed her face against his chest, letting her eyes drift shut and evening out her breathing from the small outburst. Soon after they heard little snores coming from the child nestled in between Bobby’s arms.

“She said Papa.” Crowley said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, “ Bobby replied softly, “She did.”

Crowley marked that as a win for him and began mentally planning the next name to try and teach her. Maybe Moose, or maybe he should start smaller and try Cas. Smiling, he pulled his feet onto the bench and fully curled up next to the hunter, closing his eyes and focusing on the steady breathing from the other two.

“We should probably head back,” Crowley mumbled into Bobby’s shoulder. “‘m sleepy.”

“I ain’t carrying both your asses.”

Crowley waved his hand and relocated all three of them home; the stroller pushed off in the corner of the living room. The hunter jumped at the sudden change in scenery.

“What about my truck ya idjit?”

“Tomorrow, love.” He whispered, carefully adjusting himself and the hunter around Vex so he could rest with his head on Bobby’s lap without disturbing her.

“But-”

“Shh.” Crowley raised a finger to his mouth; cutting off any further disputes. “Tomorrow. Promise.”

  
The hunter grumbled to himself but intertwined his fingers with Crowley’s, pressing a kiss to the back of his hand. Crowley closed his eyes and smiled, drifting off to the soft, steady breathing filling the room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wooooooooo!! Over 100 kudos! Thank you guys so much for reading and tolerating my sporadic update times! <3

Bobby started to hear the sound of hiccuping in his bed, kicking him to full consciousness faster than usual. He cracked open his eyes and saw a small silhouette huddled up at the foot of his bed. He bolted upright and immediately pulled the bundle into his arms, holding her close to his chest.

“What’s wrong baby girl?” He asked while rubbing small circles on her back. She continued to sob for a few more moments before pointing out the window and shifting closer to Bobby. Just then a bright lightningbolt shone through, illuminating the tear trails rolling down her cheeks; followed by a loud crash of thunder, rattling the house. Vex started sobbing uncontrollably again, burying her face in the hunter’s chest.

“You afraid of the storm?” He asked, wiping the tears away with one finger. She gave a small nod with her head before clenching her hands tightly in his flannel when another clap of thunder boomed above them. Bobby swung his feet over the side of the bed; picking up Vex and heading downstairs to the kitchen to get her a sippy cup of warm milk.

He put the now warm cup in her hands after moving to sit on the couch for a few minutes since it was quieter in here than upstairs. Vex sat on his lap, quietly sipping her milk and flinching at the sounds from the storm around them, but quickly being soothed by Bobby. While giving her some kisses to the forehead he noticed that she was warmer than usual. He put the back of his hand against her head.

“You’re burning up hun. _That’s_ probably why you can’t sleep. And this thunder ain’t helpin’.” He dug through the medicine cabinet and fished out the thermometer; giving it a quick rinse off before sticking it under Vex’s tongue. She reacted immediately to the intrusion, pulling away from the plastic stick but Bobby held her still until it beeped showing a 102 in black bold numbers. A spike of panic rose up in the back of his head. He knew Vex was too young for any fever meds but he didn't really know what else to do, whenever he or the boys got sick-which they hardly did- they just downed some tylenol and took a nap. With Vex he had no idea of what to do. He's never had to deal with a kid this small, when John first started bringing the boys around, they were already old enough for kids medicine.

Bobby brought Vex into her nursery and changed her into her lollipop onesie instead of the thicker, pajama one she was currently in, hoping it would lower her temperature a bit.

After another half an hour of waiting her temperature rose another degree. Bobby started to grow a little worried, pacing around the living room and debating whether or not to call Crowley. He’d been assuring the demon that he could handle taking care of Vex alone for a bit while he caught up on work back in Hell. _Yeah, great job you’ve done so far, Singer._ Bobby thought, twirling his cell phone around in his hand. After another drawn out whimper from Vex he gave in and dialed Crowley’s number.

“Miss me already?”

“No. Well maybe, but that’s not why I’m callin ya this late. Somethin’s wrong with Vex.”

Crowley appeared behind him instantly.

“What happened?” He asked sharply, looking her over for any injuries. After skimming her over he visibly lost some of the tension in his shoulders. Crowley reached over and ran a hand through her still short hair. Vex smiled against Bobby’s chest and leaned faintly into the hand. He held his hand there for a moment until Vex pulled her head away with another whine. With his sleeve he wiped away the small layer of sweat gathered on her forehead just as another loud boom sounded from above.

The rain pounded harder against the windows and roof. It echoed throughout the still house, amplifying the noise. A low whine came from Vex as she clenched the hands in Bobby’s shirt tighter.

Crowley reached over and pried her fingers off of Bobby and pulled her into his arms. He closed his eyes and focused on returning her temperature to normal. A loud, drawn out exhale slipped past Vex’s lips a moment later. She yawned and stretched out her limbs before scrunching back up against Crowley and closing her eyes. He walked over and sat down on the couch, massaging Vex’s back with his hand. Looking over at Bobby shuffling on his barefeet and staring at the ground sheepishly, he patted the cushion beside him.

“Sit.”

Bobby walked over slowly and sat down, keeping a few inches away from the other.

“Don’t start sulking. It’s not your fault she got a fever, it’s quite natural in humans, last I remember. You’re such fragile creatures.”

“I know ya idjit, “ Bobby said quietly, watching the slow expanding of Vex’s chest. “But I just felt so useless. I had no idea what to do. What if it was something more serious?”

“But it wasn’t something more serious darling. I should pick up one of those parenting 101 books for you.” He teased, poking Robert in the side.

 

“Guess I did kinda panic over nothin’ huh?”

“Yes but that’s that’s part of you that cares. Plus it’s adorable,” Crowley said, cupping the hunter’s chin and pulling his close, “And I get to spend some more time with you, Robert.” He leaned forward and pecked him on the lips.

Bobby ran his hand over the stubble on Crowley’s cheek, holding him in place to deepen the kiss. He broke away and nuzzled into the demon’s neck mumbling against the pale skin.

“‘M sorry I called you away from work.”

“Not a problem luv. You got me out of a boring meeting anyways, _I_ should be thanking _you_.”

The hunter curled close to Crowley, closing his eyes and listening to the steady drumming of the rain against the roof. They sat in comfortable silence for a while before he felt a sharp jab in his ribs.

“Oh no. The last time you fell asleep on me I couldn’t feel my side for hours!” He jabbed two fingers into Bobby’s side again. “Upstairs you go.”

Grumbling, the hunter slinked up the stairs pausing when he reached the top to look behind him for Crowley, resuming when he saw the demon ascending the stair right behind him.

The wooden floor of the bedroom was cold on his feet as he made his way to bed in the dark, the occasional lightning strike illuminating his path. Feeling his way to the edge of the covers he peeled them back and slid under the cool sheets, patting his pillow before flopping his head down. A minute later Crowley waltzed in the door, empty handed and in just his boxers and slid in the bed beside Bobby.

“Vex is out for the night. She was pretty exhausted.”

“That’s good.” Bobby yawned, turning on his side and pulling Crowley against him. “We should go somewhere. Like, on a vacation or something. Just the two of us.”

“Robert Singer, _take a vacation_? The world would stop turning.”

 **  
**“Just a thought.” He whispered, burying his nose in the other’s hair.


End file.
